Miniatures by Polyclayart
How did you first get started in miniatures?
I first got interested in miniatures when I started buying some of the Re-ment items at the local Japanese supermarket. My Etsy shop at the time carried refrigerator magnets and jewelry, and I was finding out that sushi-related items were the most popular. I was buying the Re-ment items to get inspiration and ideas for my projects.
It was fascinating to see how realistic things could look done on a miniature scale. I decided to focus on miniature food after having made some for my nephew after seeing him play with pots and pans and making cooking noises. It was fun figuring out how to make certain things using clay sculpting techniques I’ve learned. Anything that I could not figure out, I turned to online tutorials. Soon, I began to also offer dollhouse miniatures in my Etsy shop. At first it was just 1:12 scale items, but since a couple of years ago, I began to offer some playscale items after someone made a request .
Advice for beginner miniaturists?
Make use of tutorials online on YouTube and Pinterest. They’ve been very helpful to me. Also make frequent use of Google Image search to see real-world examples of what you are trying to craft. Offline, I recommend reading the book Making Doll’s House Miniatures with Polymer Clay by Sue Heaser.
Favorite mini you own?
I would say anything my niece Alyssa makes. She is now 12 years old and almost as good as her aunt. She often goes to my worktable to make something when she comes to visit my home. 
I used to get angry at the mess she and her brother Ethan would make whenever they came to work at my table, but when I saw what they made, I changed my mind and saw how precious their creations were. I bake them and store them in a container after they go home.
Most memorable miniature you’ve seen?
My nephew Ethan once made a donut that reminded me of the donut that is atop the Randy’s Donuts building in the Los Angeles area, even though the color scheme was different.
Anything else you would like to add?
I may be setting up a separate shop in the future just for miniature items, and perhaps a website to sell my goods.
Polyclayart was created by Gale Lew of Rancho Palos Verdes in California. Recently , you can shop the collection on Etsy or have a look at Pinterest for more of her work in miniature!
